Undergraduate Research Assistant STDT 4

Trish Serviss, an Associate Professor in the University Writing Program, is hiring up to 2 undergraduate research assistants. In this position, undergraduate researchers will act as co-researchers of student experience and learning in postsecondary writing classes taught at California State Universities as well as University of California campuses. The undergraduate researchers will help to develop the direction of the projects.

What is the Position? 

In this role, the Undergraduate Student Researcher(s) would help to design, implement, and analyze research around postsecondary writing courses and assessment. 
 

Responsibilities would include: 

• Co-designing and collaborating to conduct empirical projects;
• Reviewing and synthesizing relevant scholarship;
• Assisting with data collection activities (e.g., recruiting participants; conducting interviews; facilitating focus groups; drafting survey instruments; preparing data for analysis);
• Analyzing and summarizing textual and numerical data (e.g., transcripts; survey responses);
• Writing for varying audiences and purposes identified by the team (e.g. collaborating on conference proposals, research papers for academic journals, just-in-time teaching resources, reports, etc.).
   

Who Should Apply?

Undergraduate students who are interested in:

1. Learning more about mixed methods research
2. Contributing to equity and access in higher education
3. Theories from the field of writing, rhetoric, and composition studies 
4. Publishing and presenting findings 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Able to work a minimum of 2 academic quarters and possibly longer; 
• Interpersonal and problem-solving skills to collaborate as a member of a team;
• Oral communication skills to engage confidently and professionally with individuals and groups with diverse perspectives, backgrounds, experiences and/or values; 
• Experience composing and/or editing documents for accuracy, consistency, and adherence to conventions of written academic English.
• Organizational skills to establish, document progress toward, and accomplish goals of varying complexity and duration; 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Successful completion of social science research methods course(s);
• Experience locating, analyzing, and summarizing peer-reviewed scholarship. 
   

Required application materials: 

1. Current Resume/CV
2. Cover Letter: 1-page description on how your experience, coursework, and personal interests fit with this position 
3. Writing Sample: 3-4 pages from any subject or course that demonstrates your ability to use academic language and sources appropriately

Submit required materials within your Handshake application.